Darwinism
by Older-Than-Time
Summary: [Zerg!SI] "A larval primal zerg hatches in an unknown forest, teeming with life; better start eating."
1. Prologue

Prologue

* * *

 ** _*crack!*_**

I emerged from my...uh...cocoon-egg. And boy, was that a fucked up sentence. Let me backtrack just a bit.

 _I was making breakfast, pancakes since it was my little bro's birthday. I had just flipped out three of the golden-brown floppy circles onto my sister's plate._

A few moments and I was flipping my own set. One flip into the air…

And the hot, steaming flab of not really cooked dough slams onto my face. I'm screaming from the searing heat and I wildly yank at the pancake and…

Here I am, flopping uselessly on some dirt, freshly hatched out of a cocoon-egg sac. I was aware of my form, strangely enough; a nightmarish combination of a caterpillar and a centipede. Realistically, I should be freaking out but...that emotional response is just absent. Huh, so are the emotions of rage, sorrow...I don't seem to have anything in me at all.

How horrifyingly...droll.

Ok, maybe it's just my form merely being sentient and not having sapience? I don-...!

I...ok, something is happening!

 **[Hunger]**

I'm...hungry. Yeah, hungry as hell. Really, really hungry right now! I look around, my tiny, mutant-caterpillar-centipede form reacting to my mental commands perfectly. I'm in a burrow; lots of dirt and some roots are visible. I squirm over and nibble at a root…

 **[Insufficient][Hunger]**

Ok, roots aren't gonna do it. Let's go scrounge up something better. I squirm and wriggle towards the...entrance or exit, not sure which it is. I'm following the scent of...freshness and wet. I come to the opening and see...grass taller than I am, trees in the far distance taller than skyscrapers and...fog.

I'm in a fog-filled forest, most likely filled with animals and insects of all sorts. Grass is really tall, so I'm either really tiny or the grass is overgrown…

 **[HUNGER]**

I winced internally and crawled further, nibbling on the grass to test its usefulness as food.

 **[INSUFFICIENT][ HUNGER]**

Ok, so plant life ain't gonna feed me for some reason...there's a niggling feeling in my head. It's drawing my attention to my right… I follow the sensation and see a beetle of some kind. It's like the lovechild of a rhino beetle and a ladybug. It's a bit smaller than I am, though I'm still not sure on my size in comparison to a person.

It looks delicious, though.

I worm my way over and it seems to ignore me...good. I rear up and my mandibles open wide. With a scree-ing sound, I rip into the beetle and feed.

 **[Hunger][Feed][Essence]**

Essence? I nibble into the corpse and felt a welling of...something within it being devoured by me. There's a surge of...oh my.

I'm either a Tyranid or a Zerg.

I...I see possibilities! I'm a larvae of some kind and with the essence from this beetle, I can be so much more! I scramble through this trove of knowledge and sift through the immediately available.

Ok, first up is...ow, ow oooooww!

I feel my body curl in on itself and a cocoon just like my previous one form over me.

 **[Essence][Evolve]**

Nooo, I wanted to choose! Damn you!

* * *

I hid beneath a bush, watching the crows as they pecked at the carcass. I had been following the cat-thing for days as the toxins from my bite worked its magic upon the beast. And it finally collapsed, just six feet from me!

 **[Essence]**

My dual-eye pairs narrowed as I sensed the very essence of the beast slowly fade from the carcass. Essence had a limited window to remain in the body after death and it faded so much faster if the creature was sick or poisoned.

 _*caw-caw*_

I had to be careful, as the murder of crows numbered seven strong while I was alone and much smaller than even one of them. They had the numbers, movement and agility on their side, while I had a venomous bite, enough proportionate strength to tear one of them in half and a thick carapace sturdy enough to take more than a few pecks...but not as many as the seven could dish out.

Oh, one on one and confined to the ground, I would win by virtue of my evolutionary advantages. Another crow joins in on the feast.

But quantity has a daunting quality all its own.

There's a snuffling sound and a wild boar comes crashing through the brush with a pack of wolves at its heels. I watch warily as they trample the carcass (and a few crows). The chase leads out of sight, though a few wolves stop and begin feasting on the carcass and crows.

I slumped into the dirt. I was so not getting the essence of the cat-thing. Or the wings of those crows. Another wolf joins in and I resign myself to burrowing into the dirt for some sleep, needing to conserve my energy for later…

There was a howling and the wolves took off, leaving the cat-thing and half-eaten crows to decay...oh lucky day!

I stared at the sky as I carefully made my way to the feast. All I needed was a few moments to pick through the chaff and dig into the delicious essence…

 **[Essence]**

Another foot traveled and still no intrusions sighted… My mandibles dug into the cat-thing first, seeking out the nearly faded essence. I had come just in time to take in the parts I wanted the most:

It's body structure and musculature. I was strong for a bug, but any decent-size predator would rip me to shreds. A sufficient store of mammalian essence would let me change from my insectoid body to a more useful, quadrupedal form capable of moving at the speeds I wanted.

 **[Essence][Evolve]**

I hurried over to the crows, keeping the evolutions at bay. I needed to hurry! I ripped through three birds before I had enough collected; I wanted their wings so bad. Once I was sure I had all I needed, I dug deep into the dirt, burrowing nearly three feet before letting instinct take over.

 **[Evolve]**

Yes, time to evolve.

* * *

 **[Essence]**

I crouched in a bush, once again as I became more used to my new form. I had almost completely left my insectoid origins for a mammalian body, though I still retained several parts leftover.

I stood a foot and a half at the shoulder, six legs capable of moving me through the forest and up in the trees with great agility. I had a mostly feline body with an pseudo-carapace exoskeleton that left me looking like a cheap copy of a xenomorph, lacking the dorsal spines, prehensile spiked-tail and terrifying facial structure. I had patches of dark fur covering my ankles and shoulders, as well as my neck. A tuft of fur protruded from my head to form a pseudo-mane of sorts.

My head was more feline than insect, having an outer jaw set of mandibles around my inner feline jaw and sharp fangs on both sets. The rest of me was a nightmarish combination of cat-insect, lacking any tail and, to my utter delight and frustration, a set of vestigial limbs hidden beneath my fur on my back.

I could almost flex the limbs, feeling like I could unfold them and reveal wings. Every attempt had failed so far, leaving me to believe I had insufficient essence to force the change. So I hunted as best I could, feeding less on the more easily found beetles and more on the rodent and cat-thing population of this forest.

Ah, this forest. It stretched on for miles and my climb to the top of the tallest tree I could find revealed a great valley with sheer cliffs as far as my four eyes could see. The thick fog covering the treetops prevented my specialized vision to see beyond.

My eyes were capable of seeing five color spectrums, from my limited memories of humanity. Oh, I could see the traditional green-blue-red that humans could perceive. I also saw two additional spectrums that I can't really describe. I could see where other animals had stepped upon the ground or moved through the trees. I could see the places where they slept and even where a body once laid dead.

I could also see faint heat trails, which made tracking other animals much easier. Though it sometimes led me into trouble, like three days ago.

I had tracked another cat-thing, one with dark blue-black fur and this amazing leaping ability. Unlike others I had spotted in my hunts, this particular feline could leap from the ground to tree limbs nearly ten feet above.

I wanted that.

 **[Essence][Evolve]**

So I tracked the cat for several hours before coming to a den of some kind. I had stalked closer, tracking the heat trails to the entrance...only to find that the trail ended a foot from the opening.

There was a deep growl and a fucking lion-lizard beast emerged from the darkness of the den. It was mostly lizard-shaped with a furred mane and ankles. Everything else? All reptilian.

I scrambled away as fast as I could with the lion-lizard roaring after me. I unwittingly imitated the scene from the Starcraft 2 mission and hid in a tangle of roots. The lion-lizard had began tearing into the roots when I remembered I could fucking burrow to safety.

So I dug like my life depended on it, moving through the dirt and clay until I hit rock. I stayed there for two days, not moving until I was sure the beast had left.

Now, a day later I was tracking the exact same leaping cat. It was smart...for a cat. It was leading me in a winding path back to the same lion-lizard den. This was probably a tactic it had done in the past…

Luckily I was smarter than some stupid cat.

I had poisoned the fucking lion-lizard with a sneaky bite of my venomous fangs by digging a tunnel into the den. I waited until it slept and sank my fangs into its hind leg, crawling back through the tunnel as it roared in pain.

Now I was following the stupid cat back to the den of the delirious lion-lizard.

There, the cat was stalking up to the entrance. I watched from a tree branch as it got ready to leap...and was immediately snatched out of the air by the lion-lizard's maw. Its yowls of pain and the lion-lizard's rumbling were brief. I stayed where I was, relying on my slightly enhanced hearing and antennae-whiskers to keep track of the beast.

 **[Essence]**

The vibrations slowly stopped and I could smell my venom working. I leaped down into the tall grass, slowly moving to the den. Inside, I could hear the lion-lizard wheezing. My venom was strong; it attacked the muscles, inducing paralysis in the extremities first and worked its way in. The more movement, the faster it worked.

It also seems to be more effective on large animals, surprisingly enough. Likely how hard the heart works compared to a smaller animal.

Finally, the wheezing breaths cease and the faint scent of death began permeating from the den. I raced inside and saw the lion-lizard was laying on the den floor, motionless with the dead cat corpse still hanging from its mouth.

Excellent.

I dug into the cat first, taking the more advanced muscles and ingrained-reflex for the amazing leaps. There was a squelching and a brief flare of pain followed by a change of balance. I now knew I could make great vertical leaps and sprint quickly, though I had a feeling that I lost something...probably maneuverability or endurance.

Next, the big guy. I tore into his throat, slashing and biting my way to his heart. I wasn't strong enough to tear into his brain for some of the delicious essence hidden there. From what I could tell, essence was found in three places, depending on gender.

More often than not, the essence could be found in the head and chest cavity, hiding in the core of the brain and within the heart. The third area changed from time to time. For males, I tended to find extra essence somewhere around the stomach. For females, it was either the stomach or the womb, for obvious reasons.

The lion-lizard was male so I dug in, feeding on the essence of his heart and stomach. I'd likely evolve after taking in these two areas. I had just finished eating the essence hidden within its stomach when I felt the change overtaking me.

 **[Evolve]**


	2. Arc 1: Pondering Places

I'm not alone.

Not anymore, anyways.

There's another big predator in the jungle. I've long since left the confines of the 'nursery', a small patch of jungle where everything is so much bigger, more wild...more free. All around me, the very forest glows.

I never realized everything here glowed beautifully in the night; I never even noticed my own bioluminescence, strangely enough. Perhaps it was the lion-lizard I devoured?

He was old; very old and smart for a beast. Maybe I had mistaken the scent of old age for the smell of death? I'm not sure, but the lion-lizard was old and his more evolved mind forced mine to take great leaps to keep up.

So yeah, the bioluminescence...everything here glows in the dark. I had believed I could see heat trails with my evolved eyes. It was only after awakening from my evolution that I understood what I was perceiving. I was tracking the oh-so faint energy trails left by our auras. If I was more poetic, I'd say I was tracking my prey by the imprint of their souls upon the world.

 **[Essence][Existence]**

Oh, right...I'm not alone right now. There's a really, really big predator here in the area. Easily three times larger than the old lion-lizard, pearlescent pitch-black hide, six-legged and fangs larger than my leg.

Bastard had ambushed me last week, ripping up my back and tearing off my vestigial wings and my tail. I had been eating this small, armored pig-thing with four whisker-tentacles hanging from its face. I was nearly three times larger than my prey but it took me several minutes to kill it. The whisker-pig had this thick hide on the back that I couldn't quite bite through and it was pretty quick on its six stumpy legs.

I had finally had enough of gnawing and chasing it, so I smashed its hind legs and the thing started screeching really loud. I tore out its throat to shut it up, feeding on the pitiful essence it had. Only thing I got was thicker skin on my back that saved my ass from Big, Black and Scary.

One moment I was working out the kinks in my body from the small tweak, the next I'm in something's mouth and being shaken like a doll. My tail lashed out and the small ridges caught the big thing's eyes. I was thrown through the bushes, though I managed to hightail it out of there before it got its bearings. Didn't work too well since now it's somewhere nearby…

*snap!*

I leaped into the trees, my six paws tearing into the bark for leverage. I had gotten a good...I dunno, forty feet up?...and looked down.

There it was, prowling at the base of my tree. The panther-thing was big with six legs. Huh...most things here have six legs; funny that…

Anyways, it had six legs, looked like a combination of a panther, a eel of some kind and...look, its an alien panther that's trying to eat me. I'm trying to get away, not analyze the various advantages it has over me!

Ok, I am analyzing its advantages because I want them _so bad_ … I'm gonna kill that big guy and eat his heart, brain and liver/stomach; his essence will be mine!

* * *

It's two months since my run in with the big panther-eel and I've gotten bigger. I hadn't realized I could adapt on my own without tearing them out of the dead flesh of others.

Pretty surprising.

So I don't technically need to rip the essence from others to fuel my evolution; it's just a whole lot faster. My other method of evolution is my rapid adaption. If I spent enough time doing something or I'm constantly exposed to a certain environment or chemical, I'll adapt to it...rapidly.

Take my new gliding flaps, attached to my secondary limbs. I've been sticking to the trees since my near-death by panther-eel. Hunting was a little difficult at first, preying on small birds and these...monkey things. I became more limber and dextrous thanks to those filthy apes; I even got almost-opposable thumb-claws on my primary frontal limbs. I can't quite grip things with them like the apes do, but it's easier to climb the branches and trees. I don't slip as often and combined with my gliding flaps, I can swoop down and tackle prey to the ground. My gripping claws really dig into their flesh; it's almost too easy to tear the essence from them nowadays.

I still have to watch out for panther-eel. He/she's pretty pissed at me for tearing out their right eyes with my tail. Or the time I lured it into a herd of giant hammerhead rhino-elephant monsters with these display-flaps that make them look part-peacock.

Those things nearly killed him/her. Sadly, they failed and now it has a grudge. It stalks me every now and again, looking for an opportunity to rip me to shreds. Too bad I'm way paranoid and getting stronger every day.

But that monster isn't what's important right now!

I saw a flying green lizard-monster a few hours ago. It passed through the treetops with a blue cat-person on its back. The cat-person was riding the flying lizard...and it had a loincloth! If there are sorta-civilized beings here, that means there's a chance I can collect their essence and be able to talk!

 _Sure, there's no one to talk to right now but I'd be able to talk again!_

 _Or, you know, I could eat the flying lizard-monster and fly._

 _...what am I talking about? Flying beats talking hands down; I'm hunting a flying lizard-monster._

So I set off to where I saw them flying off, towards that huge tree across the forest. I'd have to travel during the day because that panther-eel is damn sneaky. It almost caught me once because I couldn't track its luminescence. Sneaky panther could probably dim his glowy bits. I couldn't but since I have so few nodes compared to every other creature, I could sneak fairly well.

I'd taken to running from tree to tree, either hopping onto a nearby branch each time or leaping to glide to far branch. It's worked out...mostly. Occasionally I get blown off course by a heavy gust of wind or I lose altitude too fast and fall to the forest floor.

Another glide across a clearing lets me get a bird's eye view of a passing hammerhead rhinophant herd.

 _Hmm…_

I stop for a moment and ponder something.

Now, I'm fairly superstitious; turning into a Zerg and nearly being eaten several times has left me really paranoid. So when I vaguely recognize things from my fading memories of humanity, I start to wonder.

The weird cat-things from the 'nursery' were oddly similar to the giant panther-eel. Same coloring and musculature, but vastly different sizes and facial structure. They both have these odd...tentacle things sprouting from their heads, though the old lion-lizard had only one on the left side of its head.

These hammerhead rhinophants do as well. I concentrated and flexed mine enough to see them. The tentacles were surprisingly flexible and tended to keep out of the way of everything. And if I move them just right, I can split the slightly bulbous ends to see...weird anemone-like strands of...something. Biting these tentacles hurts...a lot. Them getting grabbed would probably have me at whatever's mercy.

Lazing for a bit, I experimented with the anemone-strands. They waved and wiggled on their own and having them interact with things, like tree bark and gashes on my hide gave me...chills and impressions.

They're like sensors or something linked directly to my brain, which is really creepy. The worst part is that I recognize this thing and these creatures. They're...familiar like things from a fairy tale. I should know them by heart but...the knowledge is just out of my reach.

I wouldn't be surprised if I both recognized the flying lizard-monster and the blue cat-people too.

 **[Essence][Essence]**

I shuddered as that inner voice I had come to think of as the Zerg part of me. I looked down at the herd of rhinophants. There were a few old and young ones I could pick off but…

One of the smaller rhinophants taking up the rear was heavily injured and missing part of its horn. There were deep gashes on its right flank and all along its back, causing it to limp heavily. Hmm, it was stopping to rest and the herd is still moving...maybe I could finish the job? My venom would work.

I got up and took careful aim. I had to swoop in, land several envenomed bites and get back into the trees. One good hit from any one of these things would kill me.

 _One…_

The injured rhinophant stops completely and chews on a bush, eating the flowers slowly.

 _Two…_

It flared its peacock-skin things, exposing the point where its head met the neck. That's a good spot.

 _Three!_

I leaped from the branch and slammed right on target, biting and clawing at the base of its head. I used my grasping primary claws grip the peacock-flaps and bite repeatedly, injecting as much venom as I could. On a beast this big, there was no such things as too much venom.

It bellowed and shook its entire body to dislodge me to no avail. I had a good enough hold and all it was doing was making my venom work faster. It took off into a limping trot and I leaped off its back. I followed it from the trees, watching as it reconnected with its herd. All I had to do now was wait for it to fall over and die.

 **[Essence]**

 _I know, just shut up! Taking down something easily thirty-times my bodyweight is dangerous!_

Now I'm talking to myself...lovely. I visibly sighed and leaped to another branch. My prey had taken shelter at the center of the herd, though I easily tracked him...her...it through the smell of my venom working its way through the rhinophant's system. It was only a matter of time until I had...huh, what should I take from this big guy? The flaring peacock-skin flaps are kinds stupid and I don't want to be too big. Maybe the thick flesh? Eh, I'll figure it out once I had the delicious essence ...

* * *

 **Omake by torroar [The Insomniac GM]**

 _The tribesmen stumbled as the world shook around them, only to stare in shock as something rose up from the lake. It was...it was horrific, as if some madman had taken a dozen different animals and blending them together, retaining only the deadliest parts!_

 _Then it opened its gaping maw, and a wet avalanche of noise they recognized only after was a chuckle boomed outward._

 _"I. SEE. YOU."_


	3. Arc 1: Hunting and Hunted

Here's another chapter for your enjoyment!

* * *

 _Fuck.  
Fuck.  
Fuck._

This wasn't the smartest idea. Okay, this was actually a completely terrible idea. Eating the delicious essence of that rhinophant was a major mistake on my part. I didn't take into account the vast differences in…well, there's this ratio of proportionate/disproportionate essence absorption that I can vaguely comprehend but not explain fully. Simply put, the more essence I have, the better. I'll have more options and fuel for evolution and adaptations.

But the density of the essence changes all that.

A creature of sufficient size and years lived will have absolutely delicious essence that is both powerful and dense. Strong, long lived creatures with a wealth of knowledge and evolutionary adaptations will have powerful essence. But that same essence will have this density that causes those adaptations to pass on to its descendents; the more those adaptations are passed down, the less dense they get and become more likely to mutate.

Highly dense essence is hard to mutate, but ensures a successful passing on of one's genes.

So powerful essence is good for a Zerg, regardless of origin. But density; density can mess up any plans for evolution and adaptation. Dense essence is set in its avenues of evolution, forcing traits and abilities upon the devourer, even if these adaptations are harmful or just useless.  
And fuck, that rhinophant had dense essence.

I'm now too fucking big to stick to my tree-hopping lifestyle. The rhinophant imparted its size, muscularity and strength into me. I've long lost my opposable claws, fluid grace, gliding and venomous bite for large size and powerful, physical offensive and defensive traits.

I'm a bioluminescent, twelve foot tall, six-legged, carnivorous mammoth-lion with two sets of jaws, heavy spiked and bladed carapace on my back and flanks. I'm not too fast, but I can turn quickly, tear through anything my size or smaller, take hits and I'm fairly sure some of my spikes are poisoned… Okay, there are plus sides to this, but I wanted to fly!

I lowered my head to drink from a stream, dual-ear sets twitching at the slightest noise. Hmm, sense-wise, I'm pretty well off. I only have two sets of eyes and I've lost much of my color spectrum, but I've retained my infrared and bioluminescence tracking. I can now track more efficiently by scent and sound than before, as well. Good thing, because now I'm so much slower than before.

There's a series of rustling sounds approaching my right, so I turn fully to face the oncoming creature. I snarl as the scent hits me.

 _It's the panther-eel._

I roar in challenge of my nemesis, my former yowling cry now a rumbling snarl. Heh, I sound like a mix between a lion and a gorilla. The bush explodes and out comes the panther-eel, a bit shorter than I am though I'm sure he's a hell of a lot faster. I crouch a bit and we both circle each other. I can see it's a bit longer that I am, more streamlined. It'll probably be able to strike faster too.

I needed to use my armored hide to catch his claws to get a good hit in. I'm pretty sure I outweigh it by a few hundred pounds but the panther-eel has a lot of experience taking down larger beasts. I see a minute twitch and it comes roaring at me. The exposed maw bites deeply into the hard carapace protecting my left flank. Its four fore-claws tear into me as well, trying to get under the armored hide. I snarl and use the small spikes on the side of my forelimbs to smack its underside, the sharp barbs tearing easily through the exposed flesh.

It yowls in pain and backs off, crouching low and growling in rage. I mirrored its stance and waited for it to strike. Another pounce would leave it wide open…

But sadly that wasn't the case. The panther-eel took off running and I roared after him. I knew I couldn't catch up; the bastard outpaced me easily. But this was a win. My forelimb spikes are poisonous, though not as strong as my bite once was. It'll slow the panther-eel down and maybe even kill it.

I growled and left the area as my wounds healed at an accelerated pace. It'll probably be all healed up in a few days.

* * *

The blue cat-people are tracking me.

I can smell them; faint odors of smoke from their cooking fires and treated hide. My ears twitch. They're above me in the trees…  
Looking up right at them, I stare at the hunters. Their bows are out, though not trained on me. I'm a curiosity to them. I roar loudly, nearly causing one to fall out of the trees. He (for he lacks the…mounds that the other one has on her chest) is caught by his female companion before he loses his grip. They chitter at each other like those four armed swinging apes and keep their eyes on me. I bear my teeth and I can see the male pale quite a bit.

I snort and pad off, my heavy paws leaving clear impressions of my passing. I needed some way to reduce my size and streamline myself. Flight would be impossible at my current size.

 _"…never seen such a beast…larger than even the palulukan!"  
"Perhaps it comes from the plains far east? To have traveled across the mountains…"  
"…should tell Olo'eytkan of it. Surely they would now where…"_

I eventually came to rest in a clearing, staring in amazement at…mountains. Fucking flying mountains anchored either by magnetism or those long vines to the area. They were massive, easily larger than any mountain back home on…um…on my original planet. Oh, and I could see a flock of flying lizard-monsters roosting in a few of those mountains.

But still, flying fucking mountains?! Where the hell am I?

Several days later, I came crashing through the forest. I roared and pushed myself harder; I could feel myself evolving and adapting with each burst of speed I put on. I was running down a horse of some kind. It was green, had six legs and twin tentacles trailing behind it. I had been trailing after a few stragglers of a nearby herd, getting closer and closer to it. But a freaking flying lizard-monster swooped down and snagged one, causing the rest to flee.

Now I'm chasing after one for both lunch and its essence.

 _*smash*_

I bulldozed through a fallen tree and sank my fangs into the hindquarters of the horse-thing. It staggered, giving me time to smash its hind legs with my primary forelimbs. Lacking a set of working legs, the horse-thing fell. I clamped down on its throat and death followed soon after. I let go and roared as loud as possible, scaring several creatures in the vicinity. Hopefully that would keep any other predators from seeking out the scent of blood.

I turned my attentions back to my kill and feasted on both its flesh and essence. The meat was filling and the essence…actually, the essence was bland; thin, tasteless and zero use to me.

I got absolutely nothing from this horse-thing that I could use. Multiple stomachs weren't needed. Compact muscles I already had. Senses were inferior to my own.

Nothing but a store of bland essence added to my own reserves, so there was that.

I snarled and looked up where a small group of those cat-people were nestled in the trees. They were watching me again. I roared at them and loped off. One of these days, I'd catch one of them for their essence. Hopefully their adaptations would fuel my need to get smaller and more streamlined; another step closer to flight.

 **[Essence][Powerful][Nearby]**

I stopped, dead still and concentrating my sense as best I could. Something big nearby; it had a powerful and dense store of essence that practically echoed with each beat of its heart. I crouched and glanced around. It was close…

 _*whump…whump…whump*_

Beats of wings…? SHIT!

I sprinted to the trees as something big crashed into the ground behind me. A blur of orange, red and roaring fangs was all I saw before I took off. The thing was big, easily twice my size without counting its wingspan. I needed a plan to take it out. If only I could fucking think straight!

 **[Essence][Kill][Consume]**

 _Shut Up!_

I drowned out my Zerg half and crouched in the shadow of a clump of trees. Looking to the sky, I caught glimpses of the beast. Not enough to get a clear picture but… It was big and fast. There were these…horns? Protrusions on the top and bottom of its head. The wings were like the flying lizard-monsters but it was so much larger than them.

Whatever this was, it was an apex predator like the panther-eel. It was also definitely above me in the food chain right now.

I was gonna kill it and take its essence for my own.

Concentrating my senses again, I could hear it circling around the area. It was searching for me. Good. I padded close to the clearing it almost caught in. There was a deep trench and a large rocky outcropping near me. Maybe if I…?

 **[Essence][Close]**

I looked up and saw the bastard fully. Orange and red with blue and black stripes. Blue crests on the top and bottom of the head. An arrow shaped head and razor sharp teeth. Enormous wingspan and clawed hind legs. And a long tail.

It was an apex and it was gonna die today.

I moved close to the outcropping, keeping myself between it and the apex. If I timed this just right… It roared and swooped down at me, clawed legs outstretched. I crouched and moved so that my rear was braced against the rock, ready to dodge as late as possible.

It loomed closer and closer, the shadow covering me entirely. It was bigger than I originally thought. And just as it was within biting distance, I threw myself to the side and the beast smashed into the outcropping. It roared in surprise and fell stunned by the impact. I wasted no time and tore into it, using my claws to rend holes in both its flesh and wings.

Just like a wise…someone says, " _It's the wings…you really want. If it can't fly, it can't get away. And a downed dragon…is a dead dragon."_

I don't remember who said that and this thing isn't actually a dragon, but the principles are the same. I tanked a few hits with my spiked hide and went for its long neck, aiming to take a big bite out of its breathing tube. I failed and was smashed away from the flailing monster, landing heavily on my side. Dazed as I was, I was helpless as it flipped itself over and began tearing over to my body. I shakily got to my feet and met it head on. The apex flyer was grounded and bleeding heavily from my assault though I was sure I had several crushed ribs and other internal injuries. Its head crests smashed my back, knocking to ground. It repeated this several times, breaking more ribs and I think I felt a leg break.

Snarling, I rolled and pushed forwards. With great effort, I sank my fangs on the back of its head on the next smash. I wrapped my forelimbs around and tore at the soft neck. If I didn't kill it now, I was dead…

It roared and thrashed; I was nearly thrown but renewing my grip tore more holes into the neck. More blood coated the clearing and me… Slowly, its thrashing ceased. The combination of its wounds, my slow acting poisoned barbs and loss of air led to its death.

I waited until I could no longer feel the beat of its hearts or the movement of its lungs before I released its neck. I sagged against it as the fight took its toll on me. I could feel my broken ribs piercing my organs and my broken legs failing to support me. A coughing snarl left me tasting blood and I knew there was no way I could heal from this.

I stood as best I could and roared with all my remaining strength…then everything went dark.

 **[Essence][Evolve][Rebirth]**


	4. Arc 1: Flight Control

_*scrreee!*_

A strange amalgamation of centipede and caterpillar cried out as it dug its way out of the carcass of a giant cat-like beast with six legs and spiked and bladed carapace.

It glanced about, feeling great hunger. The carcass it was birthed from held no attraction to the worm but the even larger corpse below its former shell…that one was particularly appetizing. It dove back into its host and dug down through the unwanted flesh. In mere moments, the worm had breached through the cat-beast's skin and into the wyvern-like corpse below.

 **[Essence][Evolve]**

It heeded its ingrained instincts and tunneled into the wyvern-beast, feeding on the store of life-essence hidden within the creature's three hearts. And with each bite, the worm grew more and more…

* * *

I woke up.

Okay…this…this is strange. I'm up high in a cave of some sort. My head is lying just at the entrance of the glorified hole in the wall and I can see the vast forests and floating mountains.

How in the hell did I get here?

I slowly moved each limb, testing my new form. I stopped and considered that little tidbit. _New Form_ ; I had evolved? I lifted my head slowly, my new long and sinuous neck allowing me a greater field of vision. I had indeed evolved but…almost nothing of my previous, bulky felinoid form remained. Oh, there were a few aesthetic pieces I remembered but everything else? My body held a great deal of similar features to the double-crested apex flyer that I killed.

Could its essence have been so powerful and dense that my body had abandoned nearly everything of my previous form for the adaptations of the flyer? I didn't know, but I was damn happy I could fly now. I wouldn't take off for a celebratory flight just yet; I needed to take stock of my new form first…

I tested each new feature, seeing how it all looked, moved and felt. I was much lighter and less armored than my land form, understandably so. I had to keep in the air, so sacrifices had to be made.

Appearance-wise, I was very draconic-looking. I had two sets of limbs; a pair of strong hind legs with stretch of membrane attached to my tail and my wings, just as wide as I was long. My body was mostly unarmored, the flesh a burnished orange and the armored scale-carapace covering my wing-limbs and thighs a deep red. Hints of purple pervaded occasional spots, highlighting my shoulders and extremities. I could tell I had no horns or large spines and spikes, though I was happy to find that I had a scythe-like tail ornament, easily capable of slicing into the stone around me. My claws held similar levels of sharpness and my fangs? I could sense venom sacs hidden in my mouth that connected to the frontal portions of my numerous teeth.

There were small spikes lining the edges of the small carapace-scales along my spine and my wings' forelimb areas. It was like partial plate mail with sharp spikes guarding the overlaps. I turned my head a bit too fast and was smacked in the face by my small but lengthy brain-tendril things.  
Overall, I looked like a juvenile, barely armored wyvern with sail-like wings lacking the digits within the membrane. I did have them, though they were hidden in these feather-like flaps at the outer tip of my wings, acting like the primary flight feathers in birds. My natural weapons were many: venomous fangs, sharp claws and a scythe-blade on my tail. I had to somehow gain a breath weapon to complete my draconic appearance, though there were no creatures I had seen with such an adaptation-

 **[Essence Close][Many Approach]**

 _*whoosh*_

I ducked myself deeper into the cavern as a flight of those green flying lizard-monsters flew past, the smallest one a little larger than me. Ok, so I'm fairly small but that was understandable. And…my Zerg-half was strangely eloquent compared to the usual warnings. This recent heads-up actually had brief phrases instead of single word sentences. I'd have to look into that but first, food.

I glanced around the outside of my cave and found…nothing nearby, so I leaped out and took my chances at instinctively knowing how to fly…

Okay, I haven't hit anything and I feel myself flapping hard. That worked. I used the enhanced vision my two sets of eyes, one telescopic and the second thermal viewing. My far seeing sight found several beasts that would grant me impressive reserves of essence, though sadly they were all much too large for me to take down myself. Especially since I didn't know just how strong or lethal my new venom was. Hell, I didn't even know what i-

 **[Paralysis][Decay]  
[Still Heart][Still Lungs]  
[Destroy Mind]**

…my Zerg-self is very chatty today, though it doesn't really have a voice at all. But from that burst of non-information, I got the general gist of it. My venom targets the heart, lungs and brain. It slows down or outright stops the heart and lungs from working while the brain is…destroyed or something similar. Maybe my venom is also hallucinogenic? I'll have to bite something and test it out. Speaking of biting, there's a herd of those giant horses down below. I could see a few wandering outside the protection of the herd that would make excellent meals. I gave a screeching cry, sounding like…a combination of raptor and bird, maybe? I mentally shrugged as I dived.

 _I'm a wyvern-zerg analogue, not a poet._

* * *

I need a name.

No, seriously! I'm eventually gonna eat one of those blue cat-people and be able to talk. Then I'll be able to shout said name as I steal their livestock, wreck their homes and make off with their princess…princesses…daughters…uh…okay, maybe just the livestock and home-wrecking. Forget the princesses, because those dragons seem to die a lot faster in stories than the regular terrorizing ones.

Do the cat-people have shiny treasure for me to horde? Because if I'm gonna play up my dragon look, I need shinies to horde.

 **[Focus][Essence Ahead][Apex Nearby]**

I shook my head and looked around. Indeed, far below me was another of those double-crested apex flyers hunting as it weaved through the floating mountain range. As it turned its head to and fro in search of prey, I noticed something fairly odd.

 _Huh…its eye ridges cover any view from above._

 **[Weakness Found][Exploit][Powerful Essence]**

 _Zerg-Me, you are indeed correct. Glaring weakness, prepare to be exploited!_

I went into a steep dive, my claws ready to tear into the unsuspecting apex's back. If I timed this just right, I could slash its wings with my tail-scythe while it was stunned from the impact…

Less than a thousand feet separated us and it still hadn't noticed me. Seriously, those eye ridges were a really stupid adaptation; I'd tear them off if they grew on my head.

 _"Look! A small ikran is attacking the great toruk!"  
"What foolish-…surely it is imp-!"  
"Let us watch this little fool. Perhaps it knows something the People do not…"_

I slammed into the apex's back, biting and tearing at the base of its neck. My tail-scythe pierced the membrane of its left wing several times, leaving great tears that caused the two of us to fall from the sky. Its agonizing roar echoed through the air and I opened my wings. The updraft caught me and I watched as the maimed apex fell, crashing into the floating mountain's sides. I scree'd in victory and dived after it. It eventually reached the treetops below, skewered on a singled tall spire-like redwood-analogue with massive branches and fan-shaped leaves. It thrashed for a few moments before hanging limp, the tree seemingly growing from the dead beast's belly.

 _"Incredible, the little ikran has slain the mighty toruk…"  
"How could such a little thing slay such a mighty creature, elder? Surely…"  
"The little ikran is like the Na'vi, young ones. It is small, but with cunning and patience, even the mighty toruk can be felled. Come, let us observe it closely and perhaps we may find out more of the small toruk hunter."_

I landed on the speared corpse and tore into the neck, making my way to the small space leading from the base of the skull to its brain chamber. Heeding the flashes of instinct, I had the feeling that devouring the essence within the brain would impart only the knowledge of the adaptations instead of forcing the physical parts upon me immediately. I needed to eat and leave quickly because who knows what other creatures saw or heard the apex's death and decided to investigate. I may be a fierce little wyvern able to take down larger beasts, but I wasn't a fool.

 _"Elder, I do not see the little hunter…"  
"Look closer, young ones. There at the head. Do you see the hole in the neck? The little hunter has eaten its way into the head of the toruk…perhaps it seeks the tongue or brain? It is said that feasting upon the brain of a toruk imparts great prowess upon its slayer."  
"But, why does it not feed on the heart or inner flesh like other ikran? My own feeds on those first before any other…"  
"It is a mystery only known to the little hunter. Let us observe it a while longer. Maybe there is more to this than we can see."_

I could hear the cat-people nearby, talking just as I finished up the last of the store of essence. The powerful and dense pool settled within me, ready for me to access. I pondered staying a little longer so I could eat the essence hidden within the three hearts of this apex…

 _*craaaawwww!*_

I mentally cursed. Those green flyers were nearby. I crawled out the mouth of the apex and took flight, shaking off the blood and gore with each beat of my wings. I looked back and saw two large green flyers fighting over the skewered corpse. I better put some distance between us and fast, or else one of them may smell the blood on me and consider me a decent meal.

* * *

Okay, let's not get distracted this time.

I need a name.

Focus. List the names of every badass dragon I know of…

…

This is a lot harder than I thought. Maybe if I…try meditating? My adaptation is bullshit enough that I might just get smarter if I push some essence into my brain… I focused and pulled on the pool of reserve essence, letting a tendril of the mass seep into my mind. I twitched as my brain slowly changed. Each sense dimmed and strengthened; each nerve fired sporadically as I forcibly adapted my mind to cater to my wants.

 **[Foolish][Assuming Direct Control]**

 _Hold up! That is never something a guy likes to hear from a voice in their heads!_

I seized up as the flow of essence doubled and the changes I envisioned were joined by several other adaptations I hadn't even considered yet.

 **[Refining Thought Processes]  
[Nervous System Streamlined]  
[Eidetic Memory Implemented]  
[Voluntary Memory Deletion Implemented]  
[Refining Vision Enhancements]  
[Adaptations Refined]**

I actually blanked out at one point and didn't wake up until the sun had long gone down and the world had lit up from the bioluminescence of nearly everything alive…including me. I had glowing spots on my primary feather-analogues and my flanks, shining a pale yellow light.  
I sighed and wished I could turn off this stup-

The cavern went dark.

I froze and looked around. Though the cavern was dark, I could see just fine. I also had a vague awareness that my skin had changed from its orange-red color to lavender with purple scales. I… _flexed_ whatever feature that was and the bioluminescence returned and my skin turned back to the orange skin-red scales I had before.

 _Now that is handy. I wonder what else I can do now…_

I tested out various…feelings that I was aware of, causing a myriad of features to reveal themselves. I was indeed just a bit more along the lines of sentience/sapience, whatever those meant. I could do math again!

…okay, simple math like addition and subtraction was cake but multiplication and division were like Sanskrit to me. Finally, I could count prey past three, rather than assigning vague mounts like a dozen or a herd. Another little feature of my new brain was this perfect recall of everything…er, everything since I adapted the feature into my brain.

 **[Indignation][Annoyance]**

 _Okay, since Zerg-Me adapted the feature into our brain. My bad…_

 **[Satisfaction]**

So yeah, perfect recall from now on. I twitched my various limbs, each one reacting so much faster. There was a faint skittering and my sight narrowed and locked on to…a beetle thing I haven't seen since my larval state. I reached my tail over and skewered the pest on the scythe-blade. It twitched and thrashed and…decayed very rapidly.

I stared in surprise as it actually started to hiss and fall apart. Looking closely at my tail-scythe, I found miniscule indents and holes in the blade. It was now poisoned with a powerful organic acid. I excreted more of the substance and found that it easily dissolved the fallen beetle parts but did nothing to the stone.

 _Organic-only, it seems. Good enough for my needs._

I felt around a bit more, finding I had stronger wings and my grabbing claw-digits on them were much sturdier. Less vestigial and actually useful for climbing? I would test those later, because at the back of my throat was…strange…


	5. Arc 1: Prey and Evolution

_'Urgh, what the hell is in m-?! Bleaaargh!'_

I threw up...something big, squirming and 'Oh-my-god-that-was-in-my-mouth?!'. I wheezed heavily and looked at…

A cocoon...a Zerg cocoon. The same damn one that Zerg Larva morph into prior to evolving into other Zerg creatures. Needless to say, I was freaked the fuck out by this.

My thoughts were mainly along the lines of _'I was pregnant?!'_ and _'oh my god, that was inside me!'_ ; and as I sat there, dumbfounded...the cocoon started opening up. And like a dumbass, I just stared as new life was brought into the world…

...by me. Now ain't that a kick in the face?

I sat there staring as a Zerg Larva that looked just like the one from the 'Enemy Within' Zerg mission. It kinda wriggled a bit and looked at me. It sorta...gurgled and inched over to me. The little guy was actually kinda cute!

It reached me after a few moments and nuzzled my right wing, keening softly. I chuckled inwardly and…

…

...smashed it. I smashed it with my right wing and when I noticed it still moving, I smashed it again...and again.

And again.

 _Because there's only room enough for one monstrous, carnivorous, constantly adapting, ever-evolving, soon-to-be apex predator on this planet._

I stared at the gooey mess left by my dead...dead larva and ate the remains. You could never be too sure, especially with the Zerg, Primal or otherwise.

* * *

I swooped through the air, riding the air currents out of the floating mountain range at great speeds. I had spotted several of the green flyers nearby and decided that perhaps discretion would be a smart idea. They did outnumber me fifteen to one and each one was easily twice my weight and size…

 **[Essence Nearby][Acquire Adaptations]**

 _Shut up. There's stupid and then there's_ _stupid_ _. Taking on a whole flock of those blighters was definitely of the second category. Besides, we're on the hunt for something more our size...or another of those apex flyers._

 **[Understood]  
[Accessing Genetic Memory: Apex Flyer…]  
[Nesting Area Located][Essence]**

I nearly fell out of the air as a deluge of memories and instincts flooded my mind. It was like every relevant piece of information locked into the dead apex's mind was something I'd lived through myself…

 **[Essence Vulnerable]**

I shivered and received the image of...an egg in a nest. No, several eggs belonging to the apex in a cavern up in the highest of the floating mountains. My still-human mind says the cave is located several miles up and to the northeast of the flock of green flyers' rookery. Another burst of memory and I can see another apex nestled near the eggs, though this one seems a great deal smaller and weaker than the one I killed.

 **[Refining Memory]**

I twitched and understood what I was seeing. The lesser apex was the male mate of the larger female I killed. The males were the smaller, less savage of the species. A female would mate several males and...eat all but one?! I shivered and more memory/instincts surfaced.

The more males that mated, the greater the size of the clutch and the female would kill all but the last male she mated with. This male then guarded the clutch while the female hunted and...spread her scent around the nest to chase off other predators? Yeah… The dead males decayed slowly and the guarding male feasted on them to keep up his strength.

But this particular female only mated with six males and...ate their corpses instead. The male hasn't eaten in...nearly three months, according to these memories. He's starving to death and even though those eggs are vulnerable, he won't eat or leave them. It goes against his instincts, though the female would have eaten them in a heartbeat. Talk about ruthless...

I then had a thought. Several eggs guarded by a starving male apex unwilling to leave the nest…

 **[Essence Powerful][Essence Vulnerable]**

Yeah, it's vulnerable alright… And with a decent plan of attack, I could take out the male just as easily as the female. Hmm…

I started flapping harder as I rose to greater elevations. The nest was a fair distance away and I could only travel so fast, so far. And strangely enough, the memories of the female apex indicated that flying near that area at night would be…

...a fairly bad idea. And if a particularly savage female apex thinks something is bad then maybe, just maybe I should avoid whatever scares the shit out of something that big…

* * *

I circled a particular mountain; one of the highest flying mountains in this area. Hidden in the west-facing cliff was the cavern and with every pass, I spotted the male apex lying on a balcony-type platform area just outside the cave. He simply laid there, unmoving.

A few closer passes revealed that he was even weaker looking than the memories indicated. His once-brilliant orange-red hide was a pale tan and pink and he seemed to have lost much of his weight. The blue crest on his head was grey in color and his breathing seemed shallow.

 **[Essence Vulnerable][Easy Kill]**

I couldn't help but agree. The male was indeed on the verge of death, yet he still stubbornly stayed put. I almost felt a hint of admiration for the stubbornness of the species...almost. I felt supreme confidence in taking out such a pathetic target and threw any plans I had to the wind. I let off a screech and divebombed the male.

It raised its head and gave a pathetic warbling roar in return that did absolutely nothing to deter me. I adjusted my path slightly and plowed taloned feet first into its head, clawing out its four eyes and tearing at its face.

The weakened apex thrashed and managed to dislodge me, throwing me across the platform. I scrambled and recovered. He had just begun to slowly crawl towards me by the time I regained my equilibrium. A well of pity rose within me at the sight, actually.

 _Ah well…_

I gave another screech and leaped into the air and circled the male. He stumbled and shivered, his energy all but gone. I decided to tend this farce and landed onto his back, tearing and slicing at him with tooth, claw and tail-scythe. His thrashing barely did anything and with a final stab of my tail, he died…

 **[Essence Unneeded][Unborn Apex Preferred]**

I agreed with my inner Zerg and immediately set upon the nine unhatched eggs. I smashed the shells and devoured the nearly developed embryos within, their essence tasting pure and untainted. I practically inhaled each one and I had to suppress the urge to let the adaptations set in. I had to fight the instinct to evolve.

 **[Essence Acquired][Evolve]**

 _Not yet!_

 **[Essence Acquired][EVOLVE]**

 _I said, not yet!_

 **[Assuming Direct Control][Evolution Proceeding]**

 _Fuck! I sai-_

 **[Beginni-**

I blacked out, cursing my Zerg half with all my might. I didn't need or want to evolve yet. I still had more essence that needed to be collected and adaptations that needed acquiring…

* * *

I groaned, pressing against the walls of my cocoon. I wasn't quite sure how long I've been stuck in this sac, but felt as if it had been a few days. And what a painful, mind numbing few days it's been...

 **[Evolution Proceeding]  
[Refining Adaptation Process]  
[Removing Redundant Systems]  
[Initiating-**

Yeah, I could sense/hear the Zerg part of me doing its thing as my body was forcibly changed according to some blueprint it had in mind. There were a few things that I was fairly sure had stayed the same throughout the evolution.

My wings, tail and my vision.

My wings remained but seemed to have moved farther back and new forelimbs grew, giving me a total of six limbs to work with again. Faint twitches let me know I had six digits on each of my legs.

My tail was longer, as far as I could tell. It felt stronger and there was a set of muscles at the very tip where my scythe used to be, so maybe a new adaptation or experimental evolution?

Vision-wise, nothing seems to have changed. I couldn't get much from my telescopic sight, other than the texture of the walls or the embryonic fluid floating around me. Thermal was the same…

 **[Evolution Complete]  
[Beginning Hatching Process]**

 _Finally! You are a total asshole, you know that?_

 **[Needless Caution][Evolution Needed]**

 _I was perfectly fine as I was! Collecting essence would have been simpler and I would have adapted as necessary._

 **[Form Insufficient][Inefficient][Evolutionary Dead End]**

I grumbled and regained control of my body. Tearing through my cocoon, I let loose a roar that caused dust, loose rocks and all sorts of pests to fall from the cavern ceiling and walls. My vision slowly returned to its proper levels and…

...maybe the Zerg had a point.

I was completely aware of my appearance and features like never before. It was almost as if I had a clear view of myself in third person.

My new form was large and lithe, nearly a fourth larger than the male apex which was a third smaller than the female. I had four powerful limbs with three claws on each one and a pair of massive wings furled close to my back. Spikes coated with a hallucinogenic toxin sprouted from my forearms and along my spine, head to the base of my tail.

Strange razor-sharp scallops and exaggerated edges covered my form. My false-scale carapace had become true scales of deep purple and black, coating me entirely in a hide strong enough to turn the claws and fangs of any predator. But oddly enough, I was strangely slim...slim to the point that I seemed like a skeletal beast.

My head changed greatly as well. No longer was it lizard-like with a few insectoid features but a fully draconic visage with an arrow shaped head and six spike-horns extended toward my neck. A beak-like mouth held many fangs and I had lost my dual sets of eyes and now merely had one set of blood red orbs that betrayed nothing.

I looked like...

...

...

A mix of Ridley from Metroid and the Red eyes Black Dragon...

...

...

Either my Zerg half drew a great deal of inspiration from my human memories…

...or someone was pulling strings from someplace I'd never be able to reach….

Either way, this was both awesome and scary...

 **[Evolution Success]  
[Begin Testing New Form]**

Yeah...as soon as I figure out if I can breath fire...


	6. Arc 1: Dragon to Dragon

I…

I am so fucking awesome.

I am a dragon and nothing can tell me otherwise!

The very world around me was dark. It was late at night and I stood on all four legs upon the highest peak I could find. The light of the planet we orbited shove off my dark purple scale-carapace. The bioluminescence of the forest...the cries of the wildlife...

All of it...felt so insignificant right at this moment. As I looked up at the moon-planet dominating the sky, I knew I was gonna take it all.

It was all mine for the taking.

Because I am a dragon and anyone who says otherwise can die in a fire.

I felt a roiling in the back of my throat, yet nothing came of it. Looks like dying in a blaze of fiery death isn't in the cards...yet. But it will be and I shall be complete.

 **[Essence][Many Sources Approach]**

My four sharp eyes, blood red honed in on...three cat-people astride green flyers watching me from a lower mountain. Feeling mischievous, I took a deep breath and let loose a rumbling roar right at them. The flyers screeched in terror and fled, taking the cat-people with them. From what I could hear, the cat-people were trying to take control but the overwhelming terror couldn't be overcome by mere orders.

I chuckled and the rocks below my feet shook...nice.

I took a flying leap and spread my suspiciously heavy wings. I felt no reason to flap and merely directed my body to fly. There was a surge of...something that resonated with the flying mountains around me. The feeling grew and...I was flying. I was flying without my wings making any motion to flap or tilt into the wind.

This was very...very...very interesting.

* * *

 _"Elder! A great beast unlike any of our people have seen rests in the Ayram alusìng. It was enormous, almost as large as the toruk, with four legs, many hooked spikes and eyes as red as blood. It could see us as if it was day instead of night and...I am sure you could have heard its roar from even here in Kelutral!"  
"Indeed, we heard the cry of this creature. Send our scouts to track and observe this beast. Perhaps it has come from lands beyond our own, seeking a new hunting ground…"_

 _"The ikran will not travel with it near. Our own fled at a single cry and have refused to take to the skies since!"_

 _"Then we will have to be more cautious. This beast is unknown to us and we know not what it hunts or how far it ranges. No Omaticaya shall fly so long as this beast is near. Keep a watch fo-..."_

* * *

It was day once more and I was on the hunt. Not for some green flyer or crested apex but my former hunter, the panther-eel. I was large enough to out mass it and my scales strong enough to shrug off any damage. Now I just need to find it and vengeance will be mine!

I flew high above the trees, looking for any sign of large predators wandering the jungle below. There were many rhinophants and six-legged horses roaming. I could spot the occasional deer-thing and some small dog-like things giving chase.

I even spotted the cat-people hiding in the trees, watching both the forest and me with wary eyes.

 **[Unusual Energy][Essence Reacting]  
[Investigate]**

I growled as that echoing monotone appeared in my head. It felt...right to listen to it but I was hunting! I would kill that panther-eel and seal my place as the apex of this jungle and the skies above.

 **[Investigate][Possible Adaptations]  
[Evolution]**

I sighed, tilted my wings and adjusting the flow of energy as I turned. Rising higher and higher, I came to the undersides of the floating mountains where my senses pinged a source of...something beneath each one.

 **[Energy Deposit Located]  
[Investigate Source]  
[Ingest]**

Following as directed, I slammed into the mountain's underside and clung there using all four limbs. My claws dug into the rocks and I used my sharp beak to dig into the area indicated. Deeper and deeper I tore into the mountain, eventually creating a hole deep and wide enough for my body to fit inside. I clambered in and continued further inside, ignoring the rain of dirt, dust and rocks as it all fell past me.

 **[Further][Deeper]  
[Source Near]**

I kept at it as the thrum of energy grew closer and closer. My entire being practically vibrated as I worked past a particularly stubborn layer of rock. I was almost there!

I tore through the shielding layer and beheld a glittering red rock that practically radiated the mysterious energy. I think this was what the Zerg part of me wanted. Testing my theory, I tore at the red stone and swallowed a chunk whole. It fell through my gullet and came to rest in...a sac of some kind within me. There was some change and the chunk began dissolving at an insane rate.

 **[Consume More]**

Fine, fine. I groused mentally and tore chunk after chunk, eating each. The sac never became full as the chunks were dissolved by whatever acid my body used to dissolve these rocks. I must have consumed a near ton of these things before I felt a change taking place.

A cocoon of stone and flesh encased me. I groaned in annoyance as organs were rearranged, replaced and grown within me. My scales smoothed and overlapped more evenly, streamlining my form. The shape of my body stayed mostly the same, luckily enough, though I seem to have...lost my front legs as my wings grew larger and more...unwing-like.

Crystalline growths appeared on my body, red gems and golden lines creating patterns on my form.

This was...fucking ridiculous for swallowing a shitload of rocks.

 **[Energy Source Synthesizing]  
[Reserves Created]  
[New Abilities Found]  
[Inefficient Form Refined]**

 **[Beginning Evolution]**

Hey, fuck no! I just turned into a damn dragon and you're gonna-!

Once again, everything went black. My final thoughts were of annoyance and something about a Drich…

* * *

I was sulking back on the highest peak. I had lost my scything claws on my arms and gained these larger, three-part bullshit wings, weird red and gold decor. I had no clue what these ruby gems were for and for once, the Zerg part of me was quiet on that front.

There was also this...itch in the back of my throat that refused to settle. It felt like a roar was building but I couldn't let it out.

This sorta sucks, but at least I still look badass?

Turning my head, I felt...huh, I still have those tentacle things, though they're really short and hidden beneath the horns on my head, I wiggled them a bit in boredom. Looking around, I frowned in annoyance at this...gem-cover over my eyes. It didn't change how my vision worked or the way I perceived color. It just felt a little redundant…

Another 'essence' twinge came from my left where...a cat-person was silently approaching me with some weird rope thing with a knob at the end. As...he started swinging it, I nearly laughed. I had seen them do something similar to the green flyers. He...he thought he'd be able to tame me?!

I pretended not to notice him as he drew closer and closer. Behind him were two other cat-people, one of them an older male and the other a young female. Both watched their companion warily as he came within ten feet of my head.

It would be so easy...I'd just turn and snap! But let's see what he does.

There was a short whirling sound as the rope-vine clamped my mouth shut and he lunged, landing behind my head and grabbing one of my head-tentacle. I reared up, putting on a decent show, roaring in anger as the rope-vine snapped. He did something and...I could feel him completely. He was mesmerized by the interaction of minds and…

 **[Essence Connected]  
[Consuming]**

His very mind was devoured for his foolishness. He jerked and slumped against my neck. A tilt of my head and he fell off, our connection creating a facsimile of a hanged man. I swung him up and at him whole as the female screamed in despair. The older male held her back as they both left my sight. I worked the corpse down my gullet, the body already breaking down to the component needed. Everything else went straight to my stomach.

The three sources of essence within this...being were devoured and their genetic adaptations were...just what I needed.

I immediately evolved, not needed to cocoon myself again. My brain reworked itself and my jaw restructured slightly to accommodate the changes it took. My vocal cords changed, grew more numerous and…

"...yessssssss…"

I could talk...in two languages. I rolled my tongue and tried out this...Na'vi language.

 _"I am fire. I am death."_

This...this was gonna be fun. The itch in my throat was mostly gone. I just needed to...burp or something. It still felt like that. I looked at the ground and tried to burp, just to get rid of the feeling. I could do it at will in my first human life, so wouldn't I be able to-

 _*graaagh*_

...I just shot...a beam of some kind. It was hot. It melted the rocks. There was burning plant life.

As far as I'm concerned...I can breath beams of fiery death! I loosed another blast of...whatever this was and annihilated more rocks and a tree...that fell into another tree...and started a forest fire on this mountain…

...whoops.

 **[Evolution...Surpising]  
[Adaptation without Source][Forced Adaptation?]**

...

...

 **[Host Mind][Guided Adaptation]**  
 **[Essence][Fuel][Investigate]**

...

...

 **[Interesting]**

* * *

 _ **End of Arc 1**_

 _ **Stay Tuned for Arc 2: Devastation**_

* * *

 **Omake by Orannis**

 _Colonel Miles Quaritch: You're not in Kansas anymore. You're on Pandora. Respect that fact every second of every day. If there is a Hell, you might want to go there for some R  & R after a tour on Pandora._

 _Out there beyond that fence every living thing that crawls, flies, or squats in the mud wants to kill you and eat your eyes for jujubes._

 _We have an indigenous population of humanoids called the Na'vi. They're fond of arrows dipped in a neurotoxin that will stop your heart in one minute - and they have bones reinforced with naturally occurring carbon fiber. They are very hard to kill._

 _If that was not fucking terrifying enough there is a real as you and me plasma breathing 40 ton Goddamn Dragon. This thing can put down a squadron of AT-99 Scorpion Gunships and a C-21 Dragon Assault Gunship Ship then fly home and eat dinner as if nothing happened._

 _As head of security, it is my job to keep you alive. I will not succeed. Not with all of you. If you wish to survive, you need to cultivate a strong, mental attitude. You got to obey the rules: Pandora rules!_


	7. Arc 2: Exploration and Devastation

**Arc 2: Exploration and Devastation**

* * *

 _It has been several cycles of the planet, each revolution around the gas-giant we orbited bringing changes of the seasons, the passing of life and the birth of new. I slowed my hunting of essence, only taking what was needed to sustain me. There were occasional essence hunts, such as finally devouring that damned panther-eel. It was a rather anti-climactic fight._

 _I swooped down, took it into my claws and threw it at one of the flying mountains...twice, before consuming its corpse._

 _For several...months, I flew across the world. Forests, mountains, valleys and oceans provided breathtaking views… The prey were all just that; prey. My breath weapon was powerful to begin with. Constant use and improvement made it devastating to anything living._

 _Great rhinophants even larger than the biggest in my home territory roamed vast plains alongside immense herds of horse-beasts. Variations of the panther-eel, lion-lizard and jackal-eel were my favored prey during my travels. Their specialized physiology provided minute improvements to my form over the long months._

 _For such a vast world...the life upon the land and in the sky was limited. Oh, it was numerous beyond comprehension but...all variations of the same base species. The biggest surprise I found was the species of giant flying jellyfish. They were tasty and their tendrils provided interesting adaptations that I implemented into my fangs and claws, alongside my already venomous bite._

 _I eventually returned to my home territory, though I vowed to explore the ocean depths in the far future. And time was on my side, since as a Zerg...I had all the time in the world._

* * *

I sat upon my mountain top, surveying all the land and sky.

 _I am Fire._

 _I am Death._

 _The skies are mine to rule and everything below...it is all mine._

 _The panther-eel...it is beneath my notice. The former-apex flyers? Mere prey. As for everything else...vermin._

 _I am the shadow of death._

 _I am the fire of destruction._

 ** _I am a Dragon._**

 _A Dragon – a beast of myth – is a supreme ruler.  
Since he can kill all beings, he can therefore claim the sacrosanct, divine presence wielded by the gods.  
A Dragon – a beast of power– is a lord.  
Since the power to kill all beings is in his right, he therefore looms over all mortals.  
A Dragon – a beast of wrath– is a devil.  
Since of all mortals who live in the world, none can assum-..._

 **[Arrogant][Dramatic]  
[Reproach]**

Ok, fine! Ruin my inner monologues… So yes. I am a dragon; I can fly, breathe fire (sorta) and destroy any who dare oppose me!

This world...I've existed here...for several cycles now, observing and occasionally terrorizing the natives. It was fun at first, raining fiery death upon the vermin below and devouring any of these... _Na'vi_ that tried to either tame or slay me.

You'd think that after the twelfth warrior instantly died connecting us together, they'd stop that plan. But no, they still tried doing it. Even _Na'vi_ from other parts of the planet attempted to tame me, using the spiritual connection of the neural queue, the _tswin_ , iconic to all species on this world.

These idiots all die, providing me with more of the natives' strange essence. This essence I gain from them is different than the usual stuff. More...elegant and lifting; the best comparison my human memories can make is going from eating regular meals and then being treated to a five-star chef's most famous dish.

It was supposedly the same stuff but so much...more.

Other than the the folly of my would-be riders, the _Na'vi_ attempted to slay me in a variety of ways. My favorites were striking during the night when I was 'asleep' and poisoning meat for me to 'scavenge'.

The first merely gave me more of the...luxury essence and a collection of weapons. The second enhanced my already incredible immune and digestive systems, rendering me even more venomous with each meal.

The crazy cat-people even tried dropping a tree and a few boulders on me. They missed completely each time, but you've gotta give them points for desperation.

So, back to what I was saying before.

I spent many cycles being the always-present terror of the forest and mountains, the _Na'rin_ g and _Ayram alusing_. I tended to just watch the _Na'vi_ going along their daily lives, amused by their antics and such.

It was all quite dull and serene...until _they_ arrived.

* * *

One night (a variation where it was dusk...the whole night for half a year), a star fell from the sky. I watched it with half-interest…

...until the smoke cleared and it opened to reveal technology.

A rover exited the the drop pod and began its explorations.

I had watched with keen interest and approached it from far above. The rover was kept safe by my overwatch, the creatures and _Na'vi_ long having learned to take shelter when I rode on the winds.

It took samples for many weeks until it finally ran amok of a pit and was destroyed. I eagerly waited of more...that rover, though insanely advanced, was clearly human in design.

 _Humans existed in this universe!_

I was no longer alone...well, I was never really alone in the first place...but _humans!_

* * *

 _Time passed and more rovers...and eventually people arrived. They tore open the forests and the Na'vi struck back in retaliation. They kept the skirmishes small, fearing my possible appearance._

 _They never noticed my presence, keeping the predators from joining into the fights…_

 _A compound was set up and negotiations began...failed...and eventually settled. The humans began mining for some strange mineral similar in taste to the red stone I consumed every so often…_

 _...each time I consumed a few hundred pounds of it, a feeling of...restrained power both grew...and loosened?_

 _A human woman with red hair often talked and was welcomed by the local Na'vi clan, the Omaticaya. A few cycles later, she was in a body...a body like the natives. It had both the scent of the Na'vi and of humans._

 _Perhaps some sort of cloning technology?_

 _It didn't matter. There was an incident then...she no longer ventured out. The soldiers of the compound began terrorizing the Na'vi and I decided to reveal myself._

* * *

 _A dragon was attacking._

 _CJ was crazy; certifiably insane, actually. But right now, being insane was nothing compared to the fucking dragon burning the land around the compound. He and the boys had been messing with the furries when it swooped out of the mountains, roaring like an angry god!_

 _The AMP suited soldiers open fired on it, but their guns did shit! Bullets bounced off and rockets never fucking hit the monster. Everyone started running back to base, but the AMPs, who had outpaced those on foot quickly all died in a flash of fire._

 _...the fucking monster could breath fucking fire._

 _Getting to the compound was terrifying and CJ had shit his pants running._

 _But when they got there, the place was on fire too._

* * *

 _Colonel Miles Quaritch, head of security at Hell's Gate, cussed up a storm as a damned dragon flew from the skies and started burning everything. The security forces guns did jack shit, their AMPs died fast and their air support?_

 _After losing seven copters, he'd ordered everyone to take cover as best they could. Attempts at evacuation to the space station above were utter failures._

 _Turns out orbital shuttles, clad in the finest materials, burned just as easy as the trees on this goddamn planet._

 _"Get to the fucking lower levels! Seal up the access tunnels and let the fire systems do their jobs!" His orders were followed as quick as possible and Quaritch hauled Sefridge to safety._

 _The coward had passed out in fear when the dragon swooped past the command center…_

 _"And someone take this pile of shit to safety!"_

* * *

I let loose an echoing roar that sent humans and other creatures scurrying for safety. Finally deciding to reveal myself to the visiting humans, I did what any dragon would do to announce his presence:

 _I burned everything._

Let me tell you, burning human settlements and the people in them was surprisingly fun! These humans were so much more entertaining than the _Na'vi_. They had more sense when to run, when to fight and when to finally die in the fiery beams of death and destruction.

My former human self would be disgusted by what I'm doing...but these were just vermin that needed to be shown their place. It wasn't like they were important or anything! Morality aside, I didn't do too much damage; just a few hundred of millions in property damage.

 **[Self-Deception][Deluded]  
[Honest][Superior Species]  
[Predator][Unapologetic]**

Sure I killed dozens of security members and civilians, but I stuck to the stuff attacking me! If they didn't want to die in flames, they should have taken shelter. Granted, I burned several buildings that could have possibly been the shelters...and the shuttles they tried to escape in...and the giant dump trucks with the other-stones...

But other than that, the only other people I killed were a few that I caught out in the open. I had been wondering what human essence would taste like and decided to test it out…

...and its bland…

...bland and...salsa-y.

 **[Essence][Useless]  
[Extracting Memory]**

I did gain some better adaptation for speaking and articulation of my mouth...and some knowledge of random stuff that I'd probably never need…

...on the bright side, I finally learned the date!

To humanity, it was the year 2151. There was a big war on Earth years back that left a lot of soldiers without jobs...the company is called the RDA, Resources Development Association...red haired woman is something-Augustine…

...still have to sort all this stuff out. More bullets and even a rocket smashed into my side, jarring me from my thoughts. I retaliated, burning the gunship from the my domain and went for the soldiers...no, mercenaries still trying to fight back.

I burned them. I burned them all; the scent of burnt metal and cooked flesh filled the sky.

 _I was getting bored..._

I turned my attentions back to the compound, _Hell's Gate_. Seeing a few soldiers trying to get another…

 _...AT-99 "Scorpion" Gunship_ , I took a steep dive and rammed the entire thing. The ensuing explosion set off a chain of explosions that ended in the entire hangar crashing down on me. I waited a few moments until I could pick up the sounds of relief from the mercenaries and scientists.

Erupting from the wreckage with a triumphant roar, I took to the sky. Burning a few more vehicles and one of their shuttles, I left back to my mountain to rest up and sort through the knowledge I gained from the devoured humans.


	8. Arc 2: Fire and More Fire

**Arc 2: Fire and More Fire**

 _There were people wandering on my floating mountain._

It was late into the night when I 'woke up' due to voices echoing across MY mountain. Voices that weren't _Omaticaya_ or even visiting tribals.

From the colorful use of pie and someone's mother, I'm fairly sure they're human..near my fucking cave.

Getting up and turning to the entrance of my cavern filled with needlessly useless souvenirs and trophies, I lumbered noisily and growled aloud. From the almost palpable rise in fear, they were closer than I thought. I reached the mouth of the cave and peered right out. Cycling through each form of vision, I spotted them a few dozen feet below using climbing rigs.

Six humans...no, five humans and a hybrid _Na'vi_ were climbing up the side of the mountain. I was surprised to find them being led by an _Omaticayan Na'vi_ , a young male with only a puny knife. The humans had...tiny guns...maybe a bomb in that large bag of theirs being carried by the hybrid? I snorted loudly and they all looked up at me.

There was a brief pause as all seven of the vermin stared in fear. I smirked inwardly and stalked back into my cave. I was curious about what they'd try.

 _But knowing humanity, there was likely a bomb of some kind. Apes like things that make loud noises, I think...or was it bright lights?_

From where I laid upon the ground, I watched as the group nervously entered the area, trying to hide themselves in the shadows. Completely worthless with my superior night vision and thermal tracking. Together, the two adaptations made me more effective at night than my normal vision during the day.

Oh, they were whispering! Let's listen more closely…

CJ, or rather, newly-promoted Sergeant Carter James Hillary cursed every deity under the black for the misfortune of being chosen to lead this insane mission. Apparently not dying from a fucking dragon attack made you an expert on dragons, who knew?

"Fuck this, sarge! I ain't going anywhere nearer! It's watching us, man…" CJ glared at the whiny greenhorn bitch that wouldn't stop crying. If anyone had the right to be crying, it was the geek pulling up the rear. The poor bastard had the worst job of them all.

He had to 'link' to the dragon using that weird tentacle-braid the furries had. Their guide, some furry with a grudge, said that it had been done before. Everyone that tried had 'their soul devoured by the Deathbringer'. CJ snorted. It was probably just the dumbass locals being pussies…

...but it was a fucking dragon. If it ate souls, then it could eat the geek while he and his team ran as fast as they could.

They entered the cave, sticking to the shadows of...a fucking hoard. The dragon had a fucking hoard. There were bones of every big animal, furry skeletons and even some of RDA gear. There was a ripped up AMP suit and the wing of one of the shuttles!

"How fascinating! A creature completely removed from human influence, separated by hundreds of light years from Earth and somehow embodies the commonly accepted mythos of a once-thought fictional being! The data I could ac-" CJ interrupted the babbling geek with a hard punch. The half-furry yelped quietly and followed CJ's pointed gestures. The group was only sixteen feet from the dragon…

...it looked like it was sleeping. CJ hoped it was, because at this range, the fire breath would leave them all ash in the wind. "Get to it, doc. Do that tentacle-thing and get it under control." Their guide scoffed and muttered in that primitive rambling.

"Right! I'll...I'll just be quick about it. Y-you'll be keeping an eye on the...dragon, right?" CJ nodded and patted his gun. They'd keep an eye on the dragon, alright. Once it started roaring, they'd cut and run.

He watched as the geek snuck noisily through the..hoard and flinch his way across the final foot of space. Fuck, the half-furry doctor was only as tall as the dragon's head. The team's breath held as the doctor reached around to grasp the dragon's head tentacle and…

...it's eye fucking opened to stare at the doc...who froze in place.

There was a pause befo- _ **"Fos los dreh, mun?"**_

 _'Did the fucking dragon just...talk?!'_

Everyone froze as the dragon's head lifted beyond the doctor's grasp and turned its fiery gaze upon them all. They all gulped as rumbling echoed throughout the cavern. They also just about shit their pants when it continued speaking.

 _ **"Hi haav kotin dii deylok ahrk meyzvolaan voknau dii ruuv. Grik duziirah…"**_

As the doctor passed out, CJ couldn't help but be glad that he hadn't eaten anything since this morning. Otherwise the dragon might be a little mad about him shitting his pants...again.

I laughed inside as the puny mortals before me shit their collective pants at my words. The pure _Na'vi_ was just as dumbfounded. He was on his knees, staring up at me open mouthed and arms hanging loosely at his sides. Looking at them all, I was inwardly preening at the sheer awe and fear emanating from their quaking forms.

 _Yes, I am a dragon. Yes, I can talk. I am a talking dragon._

I will be taking everything you mistakenly believe to be your possessions and acquiring them for my hoard. For all within my realm is mine. And since I live upon this world, everything is mine.

I was pulled from my inner musings by my Inner half.

 **[Sufferance][Annoyance]  
[Collect Essence][Gather Memories]**

Yeah, no. I'm going to enjoy this, damnit!

 **[Frustration][Acquiesce]**

Good, now let's see how we can mess with these idiots some more…

I lowered my head and breathed upon the passed out hybrid. My admittedly noxious breath, a combination of lack of brushing, no mouthwash and the fumes of my various meals wafted from my maw and woke up the poor unfortunate target of my attentions. He gasped and looked up at my glorious form and let out a strangled 'meep'.

 _ **"Reimokur kriist us zey. Hi vonizraad ulfah do sos ahrk slen, hi krilon wah haalvut dii , hefvaak ko hinz, nivos mindoraan."**_

My rumbling voice echoes throughout my cavern and the insignificants before me flinch with every word spoken. One actual dares to speak...or whisper very loudly, even to the other humans.

"Do...do you think it speaks English, sarge?" The fool looks at the 'sarge', one I recognize from my romp a few days earlier. The sergeant glares at the fool and mutters,

"No, I don't think the fucking dragon speaks English, you idiot!" I interrupt, taking a great deal of pleasure from their surprise.

 _ **"Sahlag reimokur… I must speak in this veistul vun for the joore to understand? Rinik pruzah."**_ Yep, their speechless faces are completely worth it. _**"You stand in my presence, little joore… You stand in ignorance of my magnificence! I...I am death, lord of fire and ender of life itself!"**_ I got up and stalked around them. They scurried and stumbled as I circled them as another dragon had done to a much smaller subject in another existence...

 _ **"I am the shadow of destruction and bringer of despair…**_

I am Alduin Feyndolaas, Bane of Life itself! And you…"

I peered down at the hybrid and pure _Na'vi_ in particular… I gathered the volatile gases into the back of my throat. _**"You will answer me this…"**_

"Vir pogaan muz dreh nii kuz wah kelnat funrah? How many men does it take to deliver a message, joore?"

They both paled and the humans...they screamed in terror as I flash-fried them all. The two _Na'vi died_ as I loosed more pseudo-fire at their heels.

As the fires lit up the entire mountain and I flew out from my cavern, I roared out the answer.

 _ **"However many can escape the fire!"**_

Days later and I had little to do but think. And my main thought was that humans are really interesting...stupid, but interesting.

I had chased off the intruding idiots (except for the _Na'vi_. Those two were snacks for a rainy day), flaming the forest around them and generally harassing them all the way back to Hell's Gate. My flying form sent the whole facility into panic and every one of the tasteless nibbles ran for cover. It was actually kind of disappointing that none of them tried to take a shot at me.

Now, a few days later, I was in what the humans call the Hallelujah Mountains where my nest is located. They were...hmm…they were far below the floating mountains, wandering the forests in the bright of day. I zoomed in, letting my biological bullshit take the lead. Two sets of telescopic eyes created an almost dizzying effect of magnification, allowing me to view each human as if I was mere feet from them. They were a small party of six soldiers in the forest...and a panther-eel was stalking them. The soldiers didn't seem to notice the beast and of course the scientists were ignorant of the danger. If I was a person at all, I'd probably save them fools...but I'm a Apex-Above-Apex Predator; a veritable death-god compared to the vermin beholden to pitiful forces like Gravity and Conservation of Mass and Energy.

And so I contemplated the dilemma.

 _To save or to savor…_

 **[Irritation][Host Bored]  
[Dual Activities Achievable]**

Ah, Zerg-Me...why not both?

 **[Suffering Exasperation][Ignoring]**

Fine... I left him...it...to its own devices in my subconscious and began my steady descent towards the travelers. I didn't need the meal or essence; I had more than enough reserves ready for use. But _something_ was egging me on, really. Something about these particular vermin was important. I gave in to the urge and flew down.

I was halfway down my mountain when something smashed into my back. The same something bit at the back of my neck, trying to snap my airway shut.

 _Lucky thing my scale-carapace is fucking tank grade armor right now!_

I flipped us over and adjusted our path, colliding with the mountainside. The something let go and shrieked in pain. I stabilized my flight and turned to find...a rather large example of those orange apex flyers. It was easily a third larger than the ones I'd eaten before.

It managed to pull out of the fall and…

...there's a _Na'vi_ on its back. Bleeding and cradling their side, but still holding on tight. I growled and decided these fucks needed to…

...is it raining?

I looked up and see that it isn't rain, but a deluge of arrows coming from above. I roared in annoyance at the entire tribe's worth of the blue wretches hidden upon the mountain sides and upon a flock of green flyers. They actually laid a trap without me noticing?! I kinda feel a little humbled by this…

...wait, no. It's just my…

There's a buildup of heat from within and I loose a torrent of high intensity heat and 'Fuck Off' at the closest group.

...acid build up.

I dived down and adjusted the energy within, forcing my wings to take me to a new altitude straight up above the ambushers. They scattered, firing their stupid arrows. Not one landed an actual hit; they either bounced off or missed entirely. Another beam of heat and I flash-fried a trio of flyer-mounted _Na'vi_.

And another barrage of arrows peppers the left half of my face. Did they not realize that the big red gem was not actually my eye, but the covering for the eyes? Another series of arrows signified that they didn't…

I growled again and decided to take retaliatory measures. The humans and these furry insects could wait for the moment.

Home Tree needed burning.

 **[Earlier that day]**

Security Officer James T. Barnaby was a...less than intelligent man. He was well trained in the fine arts of warfare, pillaging and wanton destruction. Here on Pandora, his talents were never fully utilized or appreciated...until today.

"Now, you all have been chosen for your wide variety of skills and training...to take part in the most daring mission of our decade."

Barnaby, and around a dozen or two 'security officers' of similar disposition and skill set, stood at attention in full kit as Quaritch paced before them. The hangar made his words seem to impart even more authority than usual.

"Boys, you are gonna go to the fucking dragon's mountain and blow it to kingdom come. You've all been given Prototype Alpha-87 demolitions device. This little gadget is a highly advanced unidirectional explosive crafted to punch through several meters of armor then explode with enough force to render all you punks into chunky salsa. You will all move to the designated points from the debrief and set your charges. You will then hightail it outta there and detonate the charge once you've confirmed the target's presence."

Barnaby tuned out the rest of the speech, thinking solely on the mayhem he could cause with a dozen of these bad boys.

"...and remember: if that fucker gets even one whiff of any of you, the mission will be a failure. We will not extract you if it comes to this. Do not fuck up. Dismissed!"


	9. Arc 2: Burning and Raging

**Arc 2: Burning and Raging**

 _So, Zerg-Me...Big Z...Abathur-expy in my brain casing…_

 **[Attentive]**

 _Well, seeing as we've spent so much time together and we're about to burn a giant tree to the ground…_

 **[Annoyance][Hurried Request]**

I idly let another updraft carry me higher. Not that I actually needed to heed piddly things like updrafts and wind currents; it was just laziness and testing my weird inner energy that envelops my wings, allowing these spiky murder-fans to act as real wings.

 _Any new ideas for stuff to do? I mean, once I burn this tree to the ground, devour all those fool Na'vi and otherwise render them exiles within the forest...boring will be our life once the humans piss me off enough that I burn everything._

 **[Processing]**

 _So was that a…_

 **[Silence][Acquired Solution]  
[Old Adaptation][Currently Integrated]**

 _Oooh, tell me more!_

I was nearly to Hometree, the immense trunk and towering bulk visible through the morning fog. The _Na'vi_ had probably scrambled all their warriors in that pathetic ambush, so I'd possible only run into a token force.

Boring, but meh…

 **[Hydrobiometrics Available][Subaquatic Existence]**

 _So, like living underwater, eh? Everything I need already available?_

 **[Assurance][Adaptations Ready]**

 _Great. I'll burn Hometree, then spend some time messing with the humans and then burn their homes too._

 **[Resignation][Ignoring]**

 _Well, thanks anyways._

And there was Hometree, all magnificent and flammable. I could see the _Na'vi_ running in terror as only seven green flyers and a single orange apex took flight to fail to stop me. Arrows flew true and struck my carapace-scales, deflecting off. The apex literally smelled of terror and rage as it plowed into me, biting and tearing at my body. It actually started cracking the scales on my neck just as the green flyers joined it; their total weight brought us down to the forest.

We crashed as one through the canopy, the fragile _Na'vi_ and green flyers being killed on impact as the apex and I tore at one another. While I was dominating the fight, the apex had torn off several of my scales, bleeding me faster than my healing could cover for at the moment.

 _I didn't like that._

Enraged, I tried to loose an energy beam at it and its still-living rider, only for the damned cat-person to hurl a ball of something into my open mouth. I gagged for a moment then fell to the floor, coughing and hacking at the _horrid_ taste filling me.

And for some reason, my strength was waning.

As I struggled, the dying apex hurled itself at me, trying to finish me off. I retaliated with a powerful swing of my neck, using my armored head as a hatchet and club. The force of the swing tore its head off, killing the _Na'vi_ rider as well.

Wheezing, I could feel my body trying to fight off whatever the bastard tossed down my throat. I couldn't even find the strength to fly…  
Then the sound of rolling thunder echoed.

...or rather, the sound of a hundred hooves plowing through the forest.

I looked to the side where dozens of stale-essence herd-beasts were charging at me, _Na'vi_ also riding. They had more of those spheres, hurling them at me from cloth-  
string things. The spheres hit the ground around me, exploding into noxious smoke.

 _I'm a fucking dragon and they're gonna kill me with a damn poison?!_

 **[Negative][Adaptation In Progress]  
[Converting Toxin][Personal Use]  
[Enhancing Venom][Secondary Emission Acquired]**

 _Zerg-Me, love you so much._

I roared with ferocious rage, loosing rather weak energy beams that incinerated many of the herd-beast, _Na'vi_ and the local vegetation. If these fuckers wanted to poison me, they'd suffer for it.

 _Sure, I was on my way to burn Hometree, but I'm burning all of the forest now!_

I sent more beams all around me, firing wildly. Soon, the whole area was aflame and the _Na'vi_ retreated. I could hear their people screaming, giving me some idea where to fucking shoot. Growling, I aimed towards the screams and was rewarded with the enhanced sight of Hometree alight.

 _Take that, stupid cats…_

Finally, I felt my strength returning, though at a sluggish pace. With great effort, I took to the sky.

 **[Toxins Converting][Slow]  
[Recovery][Assurance]**

 _Good...fuck, I'm tired…_

Whatever thoughts I would have had were interrupted by fucking missiles and bullets hitting me from above. I roared and looked up, where the fucking humans were in some new vehicles, raining hell on me.

These new ones were bigger, had more weapons and…  
I quickly shot an energy beam at the smallest of them. I missed and struck the larger vessel.

 _An energy shield took the hit._

...well fuck.

I roared in defiance as I forced myself faster and higher. There was no way I was going down now!  
Picking up speed and tanking a few missiles, I slammed into the larger of the flying vessels. The energy shield held for a moment before it collapsed under my weight. I began tearing into the hull even as the other humans kept firing on me and their ally.

...the ship blew up with me inside. The explosion knocked me around enough that flying was impossible.

I blacked out as the whole wreck fell to the forest.

I woke up within a void.

Endless darkness as far as my enhanced eyes could see.

 _Who the hell put me here?!_

I roared, loosing energy beams and noxious fumes (that's new) in every direction. Each faded into the void and I…

...I grew wary.

Whatever...wherever I was…

I had been here before.

 _"_ _I really messed up, didn't I?"_

Who said that?!

I whirled my bulk to the source of the sound and saw…

 _"_ _Hey there..."_

A human, standing before me in a white shirt and pajama bottoms, smiling at me sadly. I reeled back in shock...and horror.

I knew him.

I knew that face.

He was…

 _"_ _...other me."_


	10. Arc 2: Less Fire, More Water

**_Arc 2: Less Fire, More Water_**

 _*blub...blub...blub*_

There's something calming and ethereal about floating in water and blowing small bubbles, watching as they float to the surface.

 _*blub...blub...blub*_

In a small cove filled with marsh trees and covered in shade, there was a spawning pool. For millennia, small species of aquatic fauna used this and similar areas to have their young and abandon the little buggers to fend for themselves.

The strongest and/or smartest survived to go out into open water where the strongest and/or smartest of them would prosper long enough to complete the cycle. They'd come to places like these to spawn and so-on and so-forth.

It was a cycle...a circle…

 _A circle of life~..._

…

...wow, my headspace is so quiet now…

Kinda lonely really, but...it's for the best. According to ROB-version of Me, at least.

 _"_ _So, we need to talk."_

[Disagreement]  
[Target Found][Acquire Essence]

'Gotcha!'

I roared with draconic fury, swooping over to the NOT-Me standing there. I could literally smell the deliciously powerful essence within him. With that, I'd be un-fucking-stoppable…

Imagine my surprise at being bitchslapped, knocked feet over head and bound by swords of light.

"Yeah, that parasite in you has gotta go. Yoink!"

'What did he mean by that?'

…

'Zerg-Me…?'

"Yeah, that thing that latched onto you...us is gone now. Now pay the fuck attention."

Zerg-Me was apparently some sort of parasite embedded in the very genetic code of the Zerg; one of the few 'constants' of the Swarm. And fuck, I remember so much now. So much shit I thought I lost because of evolving and it was all because of that damn thing pretending to be an aspect of my psyche.

But then again, why the hell did I even believe a strange voice in my head?

[Movement]

Ooh, psionics tingling.

I lay perfectly still. My purple shell-thing blended reasonably well with the darkness of the water and rocks. A few moments passed.

[Movement]

Almost…

[Movement]

Wait for it…

[Movem-...]

 _*BITE!*_

I lunged forward, stretching my neck far and latched onto the small fish swimming by. It died the moment I grabbed its head, shearing the whole thing in half with a single bite. Retracting my head, I settled down and waited.

Stupid fish would forget I was here in moments.

Being a zergified snapping turtle-cat was fun…

 _"There's so much shit I want to say to you, but it would be pointless now. As you are, you don't give two-shits about anyone else but yourself and the next fucking meal. Well, I'm gonna make sure you get the fucking message this time instead of leaving a random memory to handle things._

 _You are a fucking asshole who deserves fucking purgatory. So many important people that would have reshaped society on a galactic scale will never exist because you had to be a fucking murder-dragon instead of a troll like you should have been. Like the plan fucking called for!_

 _But it isn't exactly your fault. I'm to blame too for not checking the body for any shit Amon might have left behind, but all this shit is still on you!"_

 _"So listen. The voice. Amon's fucking brainwashing is gone so you can be less of murdering douchebag and just be a regular douchebag with chaotic-good alignment like I know we are. Sadly, you gotta start over; preferably another part of the planet since you've pretty much fucked over the timeline of the setting."_

 _"I mean seriously, you killed so many important assholes to a damn setting that would have been a decent spot for Disney, what with the damn Pocahontas in Space thing they got going on. Anyways, start doing some random shit in the oceans for a century or two. Don't completely depopulate the ecosystem of all non-zerg life and I'll send you to somewhere you can go murderhobo on, got it?"_

 _"Good, now this'll hurt like a bitch."_

I tore out of my egg, shrieking in _'_ _Ohmyfuckinggodthathurtswhydoesithurtinmyeverything!'_. Panting hard, I took in my new form…

...and inwardly squealed at its adorableness.

I looked like a baby sea turtle...only primal zergified. Small six-inch shell able to shrug off small arms fire, flippity-floppy flippers with razor-sharp edges and a tiny head with enough venom to take down a small bison.

 _Fucking adorable._

...huh, my inner geek has returned. Memes are flowing and meta is now back.

 _I missed you guys…_

Looking around, I found that I was on a beach in a cove covered in trees. It seemed perfectly safe.

 _Yeeeeeah, let's get in the water._

I heaved myself across the grey sand. My cute lil flippers of death dragged me inch by inch, flopping like slippers. The waves got closer and closer. I was almost...

 _*mrooaawww*_

I turned my head and saw a small cat-thing; similar to the eel-panther in appearance, but small, lithe and white. It looked like it had been around for awhile, judging from the scars. Probably the apex of this beach area.

Twisting my head around to look at the water and the cat, I considered my options carefully...then I turned to the cat that outweighed me by several dozen pounds, was several magnitudes faster and more agile, as well as probably had years of experience in fighting.

I flapped my adorable body to face the poor sucker and gave a cute cry of victory.

 _'_ _Challenge accepted.'_

-  
Ten violent minutes filled with much blood, despair and adorableness later…  
-

I scowled at my fading wound. The fucking cat bit my head whole and tried tearing it off. I had bitten its tongue in retaliation; the venom did the rest of work. Stupid felinoid died in agony, thrashing around in the sand and yowling to the sky.

I, on the other hand, ate the thing. Starting from the belly, I worked my way through the whole animal. I needed a lot of biomass to jumpstart my evolution, not just the wondrous essence within. It actually took a rather long time to devour the innards due to my small mouth.

 _[Evolution Delayed]  
[Burrow][Evolve]_

The voice, this time sounding less smart and ominous and more like Pinkie Pie trying to whisper. I'm not sure this was an improvement, but whatever. I began to nudge and wiggle my way out of the cat and into the soft sand below. Evolving was always awesome, so long as I stayed a turtle.

Because turtles were fucking cool, especially zergified turtles of doom and destruction.


End file.
